Latest education updates from around the world
Meta’s New Demo App is Like ‘Beat Saber’ for Hand-tracking
Meta’s hand-tracking has improved by leaps and bounds since we first saw it on the original Quest in 2019, but as Apple serves up stiff competition with its upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset, Meta tossed out a new hand-tracking demo that shows off the benefits of its latest software update.
As a part of Quest’s v56 software update Meta unveiled Hand Tracking 2.2, something the company says focuses on hands responsiveness. If Meta wants to beat Apple at its own game—Vision Pro’s input relies primarily on hand-tracking—it really needs to make hand-tracking as a reliable […]
‘Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures’ Coming Soon as VR Space Sim Gets Final Teaser Trailer
It seems Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures is rounding the bend, as the promising VR cockpit adventure has released its final teaser trailer, showing off more of its madcap ship management and action-arcade combat.
In Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures you pilot your own starship, which not only tasks you with maneuvering the craft around manually (as you do), but also keeping all of the ship’s systems in check, including shields, weapons, life support, thrusters, stabilizers—all of which are powered by a bank of constantly depleting batteries.
Meanwhile, you’re being chased through the galaxy with a little alien pal in tow, something the developers
4 Education Tools That Seem Straight Out of Science Fiction
Thanks to ChatGPT and other new advances, the gap between science fiction and the classroom is closing before our eyes.
10 Google Earth and Maps Activities for Math Lessons
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
Last week I shared directions for measuring perimeter and area in Google Earth. Doing that is one of many ways to incorporate Google Earth into mathematics lessons. Making that video prompted me to make a list of ways to use Google Earth and Maps (which has similar measuring tools) in mathematics lessons.
Here’s my list of ideas for using Google Earth and Maps in mathematics lessons. […]
Three Ways to Create Your Own Mobile App
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
Since the start of the year I’ve answered about a dozen emails from readers who are interested in creating mobiles apps either by themselves or with their students. In most cases I’ve recommended one of the following three tools.
10 Great First Day of School Books
As the aroma of sharpened pencils fills the air and the echoes of school bells beckon, we know it’s that time of the year again. Time to switch from beach days and barbecues to textbooks and classrooms – it’s back to school season!
We understand that transitioning from the carefree days of summer to the structured rhythm of the school year can bring a whirlwind of emotions, both for our little learners and for us, the caretakers navigating the journey alongside them. Whether it’s their first venture into the realm of academia or they’re seasoned students, the start of […]
Room-scale VR Adventure ‘Tea for God’ Comes to Quest & PC VR, Launch Trailer Here
You might have seen the demo floating around for Tea for God for a few years now, however indie studio Void Room has finally released the full version of its VR roguelike adventure for Quest and SteamVR headsets.
Tea For God is a unique VR adventure that uses “impossible spaces”, allowing players infinite movement within their own room. While there is optional stick movement, the game’s true claim to fame is its ability to smartly guide you around your own room with your own two feet, which it does thanks to procedural generation.
Since the game dynamically […]
Navigating AI Biases in The Classroom
As students learn to use generative AI, it’s important to recognize and navigate the biases present
71 Google Slides Tutorials
Over the last decade I’m made more than eighty Google Slides video tutorials. Some of them are a bit outdated now, the rest are still relevant. All of the relevant ones are now organized into one playlist.
In my playlist of Google Slides tutorials you’ll find everything from the basics of using Google Slides to using the image editing tools in Google Slides to […]
10 Ways to Use Adobe Express in School
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
I’ve made a handful of videos about using Adobe Express in your classroom. Those videos include making videos with Adobe Express and making custom QR codes with it. Those are just a couple of the many ways to use Adobe Express in your classroom. Let’s take a look at some of the many ways that you and your students can use Adobe […]
Back to School Fashion: Outfit Ideas for a Stylish School Year
Being one of you, teachers and parents, I understand the mixed emotions that accompany the phrase “back to school.” The anticipation of meeting new classmates, the promise of intriguing lessons, the nerves of a fresh beginning, and of course, the excitement surrounding back to school fashion.
Who could forget the eagerness of laying out the perfect first-day outfit the night before school starts? Or the fun of shopping for a new wardrobe that shows how much you’ve grown and changed over the summer? There’s a certain magic in deciding what to wear on the first day of school.
For students, […]
What is Khan Academy Kids and How Can It Be Used for Teaching?
Khan Academy Kids is an app that makes education fun for a range of ages.
Microsoft Forms Tutorials for Teachers
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
Despite the fact that I’ve been using Google Forms for as long as it has existed and that it is my default tool for creating online forms and quizzes, there are some things about Microsoft Forms that I prefer over Google Forms. One of those things is the ability to convert a Word document into a Microsoft Form. Another is the ability to
These Are the Effects of Talking to Yourself
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
I spend a good deal of time talking to myself. I often do this while riding my bike. Sometimes I do it to motivate myself to get over a hill. Other times I do it because I’m puzzling through a problem and talking aloud to myself helps with that, I think. All that to say, TED-Ed has a new lesson all about the topic of talking to […]
13 Creative Classroom Door Decoration Ideas and Resources
As an educator with many years of classroom teaching under my belt, and now as an edtech blogger, I’ve learned a thing or two about creating inviting, inspiring, and educational spaces for students.
One of the most overlooked yet essential components of these spaces is the humble classroom door. More than just an entrance, a classroom door holds the potential to set the tone for the learning that happens inside. It’s the first thing students see when they arrive and the last thing they see when they leave. It can serve as an introduction to the day’s lessons, […]
The 20 Best Rated & Most Popular Quest Games & Apps – July 2023
While Meta doesn’t offer much publicly in the way of understanding how well individual games & apps are performing across its Quest 2 storefront, it’s possible to glean some insight by looking at apps relative to each other. Here’s a snapshot of the 20 best rated Oculus Quest games and apps as of July 2023.
Some quick qualifications before we get to the data:
Paid and free apps are separated
Only apps with more than 100 reviews are represented
App Lab apps are not represented (see our latest Quest App Lab report)
Rounded ratings may appear to show ‘ties’ […]
Best Webcams for Schools
Get the best webcams for schools, teachers, and students
‘Viewfinder’ Probably Won’t Get VR Support, But a Standalone Game Isn’t Out of the Question
Viewfinder launched today across PlayStation 5 and Steam, bringing its perspective-shifting first-person puzzling to traditional monitors. Ever since we saw the demo pop up on Steam earlier this year though, it was pretty apparent the mind-bending indie title would make for a great VR game. If you were hoping for VR support though, you’re probably out of luck.
“We did some prototyping of a VR version a while back – it was interesting, but there’s definitely some challenges to solve with things like forced perspective,” Sad Owl Studios developer Jacob Keane tells Road to VR. “It’s likely if we do […]
Ubisoft to Support Haptic Vest in ‘Assassin’s Creed Mirage’, But No Word Yet on ‘Nexus’ VR Game
Earlier this month Ubisoft announced a new brand deal with haptic clothing creator OWO, which produces a thin and light shirt featuring electrode-based haptics. Strangely enough, the partnership isn’t targeted at the upcoming VR game Assassin’s Creed Nexus, but rather the non-VR game Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
OWO’s haptics provide 10 electrified zones around the user’s torso and arms, something the company says can deliver 30 sensations, with various impacts including bullet wounds, punches, machine gun recoil, wind and more. It seems like the ideal candidate for an Assassin’s Creed VR tie-in, but Ubisoft isn’t saying as much. Yet.
Luxury Brand Valentino Launches Meta Avatar Clothing
Meta and Italian luxury brand Valentino have partnered to launch a new line of digital clothing on the company’s Avatar Store.
When the Meta Avatars Store launched in late 2022, the company offered digital outfits from a number of luxury clothing brands, including Balenciaga, Prada and Thom Browne.
Now the prestigious Roman fashion house is among them, bringing a range of patently Valentino outfits inspired by its recent IRL collection, including two mini dresses, a skintight jumpsuit, a suit jacket, a bomber jacket, a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and a pair of shorts.
All of its digital outfits are priced at $5, making it […]
5 Mistakes That New Edtech Companies Make
Being able to avoid these common mistakes can help a new edtech company survive and thrive
How to Add Q&A to Your Live Google Slides Presentations
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
There are plenty of ways to gather questions and feedback from students in a digital format. But one of the ways that is often overlooked is to just add a Q&A component to a slide presentation. That can be done quite easily in Google Slides right from the presentation menu. Watch my video embedded below to learn how to add Q&A to your […]
100+ Math in “Real Life” Lessons
I’m taking the week off to do a bunch of fun things with my kids. While I’m away the most popular posts of the year so far will reappear.
Math in Real Life is a series of 167 TED-Ed lessons and TED Talks. The “real life” context in these lessons isn’t things like “how calculating percentages helps you be a frugal shopper.” The “real life” context found in the videos in the Math in Real Life series is broad in nature. For example, you will find lessons about […]
Checklist of The Essential Student Supplies
Today, we’re shifting gears slightly and focusing on the students – those bright young minds that transform our classrooms into dynamic learning environments. Whether you’re a parent looking to prepare your child for the new school year, or a student wanting to get organized, this comprehensive guide will prove valuable.
In this post, I’ll be diving into the essentials that every student needs, categorized to simplify your shopping experience. We’ll be exploring everything from ‘Writing & Drawing Supplies’ for the budding artist, to ‘Physical Education Supplies’ for the sports enthusiast.
You’ll find details on ‘Notebooks & Paper Supplies’ […]
15 Creative Classroom Decoration Ideas
As a former teacher turned edtech blogger, I’ve spent a considerable part of my career thinking about how to make classrooms inviting, stimulating, and conducive to learning. I’ve always believed that a well-decorated and thoughtfully arranged classroom can profoundly impact student engagement and learning outcomes.
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of walking into hundreds of classrooms, each one a unique universe filled with the endless potential of young minds. I’ve seen first-hand how creative decorations can bring curriculum to life, spark students’ curiosity, and set the stage for meaningful learning experiences.
So, whether you’re a seasoned teacher looking […]